February 1739

Feb. 1.Whitehall,TreasuryChambers.

13. Present: Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Dodington, Mr. Winnington, Mr. Earle.Order for the issue out of the Civil List funds of 13,764l. 6s. 7d. for the Privy Purse, Robes, and other particulars as in a letter of this date to the Exchequer.The petition of the Justices of Peace for the county of Southampton for removing Francis Page, a prisoner in that county gaol, to the King's Bench prison, to be sent to Mr. Paxton for him to acquaint the Attorney General that their Lordships do not object to the remove on the Justices moving the Court of King's Bench therein.The petition of Mr. Bowes, a prisoner in Newgate, to be sent to the Secretary at War for his perusal and consideration, mention being made therein of pensions paid to pretended widows of officers and other frauds on that head.[Treasury Minute Book XXVIII. p. 112; Letter Book XIX. p. 493.]

Feb. 1.

14. Treasury warrant to the Auditor of the Receipt, the Clerk of the Pells, and the Four Tellers of the Exchequer and the other officers and ministers of the Receipt to reserve and set apart out of the Sinking Fund 5,834l. 17s. 11½d., and to issue and apply same to make good the deficiency on the Plate duty, as by Act 6 Geo. 1., to 1738, Ladyday, the same being certified as not exceeding the savings effected to date by taking off the drawback on the duties on hops exported from Ireland.Appending:—Certificates of said deficiency and savings respectively.[Money Book XXXIX. pp. 375–6.]

Feb. 1.

15. Same for the execution of a Lord Chamberlain's warrant to the Duke of Montagu for the delivery to Grey Maynard, Yeoman of His Majesty's Removing Wardrobe, of furniture detailed for His Majesty's service at St. James's, including inter alia items for Lord Hervey and Mr. Windham: all at an estimate of 597l.[Lord Chamberlain's Warrant Book II. p. 117.]

Feb. 2.Whitehall,TreasuryChambers.

16. Present: Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Dodington, Lord Sundon, Mr. Winnington, Mr. Earle.Order for the issue to the Paymaster General of the Forces of 97,250l. for 2 months' subsistence to the Guards Garrisons and other the forces in Minorca, Gibraltar, and the Plantations, 1738, Dec. 25, to 1738–9, Feb. 23, as by his memorial of this day: same to issue out of the surplus of the year 1738 voted towards the supplies for 1739.John Terry is to be appointed Surveyor of Windows for the West Riding of Yorkshire loco Thomas Williams, deceased.Memorandum. Cancelled. No warrant was signed for Terry, but Jacob Pratt was appointed to this office and a commission and warrant signed for him.[Treasury Minute Book XXVIII. p. 116.]

Feb. 2.

17. Petition to the Treasury from Samuel Griffin. Sets forth that he discovered the printing and publishing the Craftsman of July 1 and 2, 1737, and was very instrumental in convicting Henry Hains of printing the same: that through means of the said Hains he is deprived of business and thereby in a starving condition. Prays some small appointment.[Reference Book X. p. 120.]

Feb. 2.

18. Treasury warrant to Christopher Tilson, Robert Manning, and Edward Burton to examine into the petition as below and to do whatever necessary in order to the petitioners' obtaining payment of their respective claims and demands of interest money due and unpaid on the several tickets in the 1719 lottery.Prefixing:—Petition to the Treasury from James Frontin et al., viz.: Samuel Barnard, Samuel Goldsbury, Thomas Jones, and John Hill. Petitioners are possessed of benefit tickets (numbers detailed) in the 1719 (first) lottery and are entitled to an annuity payable at the Bank at 4%. The benefit tickets in said lottery were subscribable into South Sea Stock by the Act of 1720, so that the annuities thereon from 1719, Lady day, the commencement thereof, to 1722, Lady day, being 3 years, instead of being paid at the Bank were paid by particular paymasters appointed by the Treasury. Through forgetfulness or misfortune petitioners have only lately applied to the gentlemen who were the said paymasters to be paid their arrears of annuity to 1722, Lady day, but are informed by them that their accounts of the said transaction have been long since passed, that they have obtained their quietus thereupon, and that no money is remaining in their hands to satisfy same. Further, till the said arrears of annuity are cleared on said tickets the Bank refuses to take them in or to give any credit for said annuity to 1722, Lady day.[Warrants not relating to Money XXVI. pp. 129–30.]

Feb. 2.

19. Treasury warrant to same for same in connexion with petition as below.Prefixing:—Similar petition relating to similar arrears due on benefit tickets in said lottery held by John Downer, Detsham Hammond, Samuel Barnard, Sir Richard Vernon, Richard Willowby, and William Griffith.[Ibid. 131–2.]

Feb. 3.

20. Royal letters patent by writ of Privy Seal constituting John Couraud to be “Keeper and Register of our papers and records concerning matters of State and Council, and now reduced into the form of a library within our Palace of Whitehall, as well of all such papers as heretofore remained in the custody of Sir Thomas Lake, and such as were the papers of Robert late Earl of Salisbury, and of Sir Joseph Williamson, knt., deceased, heretofore Principal Secretaries of State, as of such other papers which have been or shall hereafter be delivered over into the said library by any other the Principal Secretaries of any of our predecessors or of us,” with the wages of 160l. per annum, with all other fees, rights, perquisites, &c., in as full and ample manner as Sir Thomas Lake, Sir William Boswell, Thomas Raymond, Sir Joseph Williamson, John Tucker, or Hugh Howard or any other persons formerly exercising said office have enjoyed.[King's Warrant Book XXXIII. pp. 209–10.]

Feb. 6.Whitehall,TreasuryChambers.

21. Present: Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Lord Sundon, Mr. Winnington, Mr. Earle.Their Lordships on reading the memorial of the Trustees for the sale of Mr. Hampden's estate to be considered for their many years' services in attending the execution of said trust, agree that they be allowed 3,000l. in full satisfaction for same. A warrant to be prepared to either of the Auditors of Imprests to receive the Trustees' accounts and make said allowance, and also to allow disbursements for fees and charges, &c.[Treasury Minute Book XXVIII. p. 113.]

Feb. 7.

22. An account, dated Treasury Office of the Navy, of what money has been ordered by the Treasury and received by the Treasurer of the Navy for any services of the Navy from 1737, Dec. 31st, to 1738, Dec. 31st, distinguishing the times when the same was received and the services to which it was applied: prepared in accordance with an order of the House of Commons of 1738–9, Feb. 6. (Total 974,677l. 12s. 7d.) 9 pages.[Treasury Board Papers CCC. No. 6.]

Feb. 9.

23. Report to the Treasury from the Excise Commissioners dated Excise Office, London, on the scheme of Samuel Galliott, paper maker, and Richard Parry for improving the duty on paper. The statements contained in proposed scheme are incorrect and the proposals objectionable. Instead of there being, as there stated, 600 paper milis with 1,000 vats in England and Wales there are only 278 with 338 vats. Three fourths of the mills are engaged in making coarse paper paying duty from 2d. to 9d. per ream, which, as it will not admit of an average of 6d. would reduce the duty below the estimate in the said proposals. Are convinced the charges of collusion against the Excise officers are false. The proposal that all paper should be charged ad ralorem would open a door to very great frauds and would expose the whole to an inconvenience at present only affecting unrated papers. The proposal to have a judge of paper resident in London to set a value on all paper is impracticable. It is impossible for the officers to send up constantly a sheet of each sort of paper. In the present method when the value of unrated paper cannot be settled between the paper makers and the officers the dispute is referred to the collectors and supervisors, and in case the matter is not there accommodated the stationer of the Excise Office has been hitherto appealed to. The proposal to make the paper maker swear to a diurnal entry of his manufacture would be no more efficient than the present entry, which is sworn to once in 6 weeks. 2 pages.Appending:—(a) Said scheme of Galliott and Parry. It is computed that there are 600 paper mills in England and Wales with 1,000 vats, each vat working six reams a day, which at 1/- duty a ream (and some paper pays 9/- a ream) should yield a duty of 93,600l., whereas there is not 10,000l. per annum paid into the Excise Office on that account. The loss is due to fraud, viz.:—(1) Rated papers under 10 and 12 Anne which as demi fine should pay 2/3 per ream are called demi second and pay 1/6 per ream, and so in proportion for all rated papers. (2) Paper is secretly removed during the officer's absence. (3) The trader often puts 30–48 sheets in a quire and the officer seldom counts them. (4) All unrated papers are charged 18 % ad valorem. In valuing the makers generally put down paper worth 20/- per ream at only 3–4/-. (5) “The manner the paper mills are at present surveyed. The officer comes to the mill and inquires of the fattman if they are at work on the same sort as when last there, who answers as he thinks proper and on his word takes down the survey, and when any paper is finished the officer asks the maker what sort it is, who gives it some new name, and what it is worth, who tells him as is set forth in the fourth article [supra]. Then the maker sets it down in an entry paper provided for that purpose.” Propose to have all rated papers charged ad valorem “which will prevent the frauds in regard to fine and second,” daily entries of the make by the fattman and a judge of paper resident in London. 1 sheet.[Treasury Board Papers CCC. No. 7.]

Feb. 13.

24. The Duke of Newcastle to the Treasury, forwarding a copy (a) infra of a paper delivered to him by the French ambassador on the 7 Feb., 1738–9, and desiring a state of the case for His Majesty's information. 1 page.Enclosing: (a) Copy of said paper. By Article II. of the Treaty of Commerce made at Utrecht between France and England the duty of 50 sols tournois per ton laid on British ships in France was stipulated to be abolished, and in a similar manner the duty of 5 shillings sterling per ton on French ships in Great Britain. Since that time English ships in France have been accordingly so exempt, but French ships in Great Britain have continued to pay and still pay the above duty. Abusive usage cannot prevail against a formal treaty. Therefore demands the effectual suppression of the said duty. 1 page. French.[Ibid. No. 9.]

[afterFeb. 13.]

25. An account showing how the money given for the service of the year 1738 has been disposed of, distinguished under the several heads, up to 1738–9, Feb. 13, and the parts thereof remaining unsatisfied, with the overplus thereon. 1 sheet.[Ibid. No. 10.]

Feb. 15.Whitehall,TreasuryChambers.

26. Present: Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Dodington, Mr. Winnington, Mr. Earle.Their Lordships agree to Sir Joseph Eyles's proposal as follows for remitting the subsistence money to the forces in Gibraltar and Minorca, 1738–9, Feb. 24, to 1739, April 24, the rates of exchange being certified by the Paymaster of the Forces to be as usual, viz.:19,000 dollars for Minorca, payable at sight, in gold at 55d. per dollar.18,400 dollars for Gibraltar, payable at sight, in gold at 54½d. per dollar.Mr. Lowther is to pay out of the King's money in his hands 458l. 3s. 7d. to settle the charges, detailed, for the furniture and other expenses for the new [Treasury] Office, as by the memorial of Thomas Mann, keeper of the Treasury Office, who is to deliver the receipted bills therupon to Mr. Fane, Keeper of the [Treasury] Papers, to be deposited in his office.Order for the issue to the Treasurer of the Navy out of funds anno 1738 of 5,000l. for officers of ships who have passed their accounts, as by said Treasurer's memorial of this day.Order for the following issues out of the Civil List revenues:—

£

s.

d.

To the Cofferer of the Household in further part of 1738 Michaelmas quarter

10,000

0

0

To the Treasurer of the Chamber, same quarter

6,603

9

11

To Mr. Paxton, for law charges

1,500

0

0

To Mr. Sperin, on bills of exchange

3,650

0

0

To Mr. Stuart, for Lord Saye and Sele, 1738 Xmas quarter

150

0

0

Transmit to the Customs Commissioners the French Ambassador's memorial enclosed to my Lords in the Duke of Newcastle's letter of the 13th instant, concerning the ceasing of the duty of 5s. per ton on French shipping in English ports, for said Commissioners to state the case for His Majesty's information.On Mr. Brereton's application their Lordships agree that process be stayed against Mr. Tongue, late distributor of stamps for Co. Lancaster and his sureties, for 6 months, it being alleged that his account will be finally settled by that time.David Ogilvie to be coastwaiter at Portsmouth loco John Barnston, preferred to Sunderland.“See what bounty used to be paid to the Foreign French Protestants, and let a warrant be prepared for issuing the same to James Serces, minister of the French Chapel at St. James's.”[Treasury Minute Book XXVIII. pp. 114–5; Letter Book XIX. p. 495.]

Feb. 15.

27. Treasury warrant to the Barons of the Exchequer, Scotland, to cause to be made good from time to time out of the General or Aggregate Fund any deficiency in the fund for the Equivalent Company and in the payment of the annuity of 2,000l. per annum for the Improvement of Manufactures in Scotland: the said deficiency having previously to 1736, September 29, been met out of the duty on retailers of spiritous liquors and for licensing retailers of same; the revenues of which said duty having by the Act of 9 Geo. II. and from the abovesaid date been united to and made part of said General or Aggregate Fund.[North Britain Book XII. p. 354.]

Feb. 16.

28. Petition to the Treasury from Lord Hardwicke and Lord Chief Justice Lee. Set forth that the Courts of Chancery and King's Bench are greatly out of repair and want to be made more commodious and convenient for the Court and Bar. Desire the Board of Works may have directions for fitting them up.Referred to the Board of Works.[Lord Chamberlain's Warrant Book II. p. 118.]

Feb. 20.

29. Statement dated South Sea House and certified to the Treasury by J. Gyles, in pursuance of John Scrope's letter of 1738–9, January 24, of South Sea Stock, Old South Sea Annuities and New South Sea Annuities, in the names of Charles Cæsar, Esq., late Treasurer of the Navy, and Thomas Savery, Esq., deceased, late Treasurer of Sick and Wounded; and of the amount of dividends, interests and annihilations not received. 1 page.[Treasury Board Papers CCC. No. 13.]

Feb. 22.

30. J. Scrope to the Secretary at War. The total estimate for the forces in the Plantations, Minorca and Gibraltar for 1739, as delivered in to the Treasurer, was 225,982.l 0s. 7½d. The sum voted by the House of Commons was 228,062l. 10s. 7½d., an excess of 2,080l. 10s. 0d. over the estimate. Desires a copy of the estimate as delivered in to the House of Commons “that my Lords may be informed from whence the difference arises.”[Letter Book XIX. p. 495.]

31. Same to Mr. Couraud, forwarding from the Treasury to the Duke of Newcastle the Customs Commissioners' report on the state of the case with respect to the duty of 5s. per ton on French shipping arriving in England; together with other papers as below. “By which it will appear that the said duty of 5s. per ton on French shipping neither is nor has been collected since the Peace of Utrecht.” The [titles of] the papers referred to:—No. 1. Order of Council of 1713–4, January 24, for taking off the 5s. per ton on French shipping.No. 2. Patent Officers' report about the same duty.No. 3. Comptroller General's report about same.No. 4. Surveyor of the Act of Navigation's report about same.[Ibid. p. 496.]

Feb. 26.

32. Royal letters patent by the King for Robert Smith, LL.D., Master of Mechanics to the King, to make exact models of three capital Italian engines for organising or making Organzine silk, in accordance with the terms of the Act of 5 Geo. II. for recompensing Sir Thomas Lombe for discovering and introducing the arts of making and working the said engines; the models to be deposited in the Record rooms at the Tower, now under the custody of David Polhill, Esq., for the perpetual security thereof and the advantage of the kingdom.[King's Warrant Book XXXIII. pp. 218–9.]